To raise a child it takes a village. As Analyst, Ashel assists with sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support initiatives at Serena Ventures. kw: 'mandc,black-venture-capitalists,newsletter-lead,serena-ventures,serena-williams,vc', Among its portfolio of more than 50 companies, 60% of founders are people of color. However, we need to acknowledge there is a problem and strive to fix it. We invest in diverse teams because we stand by the belief that diverse leadership and diverse thoughts have the best returns, both financially and socially. They just share a same surname but have no family ties. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner What is Alison Stillman's role in Serena Ventures? Kyra is the Operations Manager for Serena Ventures where she oversees the day-to-day operations for the team and helps manage LPs, Portfolio Founders, and prospective investment companies. Not surprisingly, thats a big reason why women and entrepreneurs of color struggle to access venture funding. He worked for numerous organisations in various positions, including manager, director, and executive. Serena agrees that there is a social purpose to that decision. } Ms. Rapaport Stillman previously worked at JPMorgan, Wasserman and Melo7 Tech. targeting: { Accelerating the success of female founders and funders to build a more prosperous, equitable future. Behavioral Aspects in Decision Making (Part 2), Emerging trends in Life Insurance and how to choose the right plan. The founding partners of Serena Ventures are Ms. Williams and Alison Rapaport Stillman. Serena Ventures has made investments in over 30 companies across multiple industries, including Coinbase, Daily Harvest, and Billie to name a few. Impact can take many forms, she continues. cat: 'entrepreneurship', They may not be networked to them, and thats something that you can fix. An obvious solution is building a diverse team and creating internal opportunities for people with non-traditional VC backgrounds, which creates access to those wider networks. Investing in people who look like you eventually leads to systemic exclusion. Alison Rapaport Stillman, General Partner, Serena Ventures (Image: Courtesy of Serena Ventures) For Williams, surrounding herself with other smart women was a no-brainer. Before starting her stint at Serena Ventures, Stillman worked as a board member at Wasserman for three months and The SpringHill Company for almost three years. August 10, 2022, 5:31 AM PDT. Serena Ventures. Every company that we invest in isnt meant for Alison Rapaport Stillman and I know that, she said. Masthead. page_type: 'article', We really believe that we can make the most by finding companies that solve bigger consumer problems, especially for people who have been ignored by the traditional players in the game.. ABOUT Serena Ventures Serena Williams launched Serena Ventures in 2014 and has invested in over 60 companies. Dan with Alison, Robyn, Marc and Sheri celebrates Marc's birthday in Hawaii, February 2022 ( Source : instagram ). The pair had unforgettable intimate moments in a cold, chilly environment in the woods near a lake. Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport Stillman thinks VCs need to get out of their comfort zones. She can get an amazing read on a person and see the big picture really quickly, whereas it takes me longer. During my time at Harvard Business School, I had the opportunity to work with Melo7 Tech Partners, where I was exposed to the world of VC. I was at a conference and Caryn Seidman-Becker, the founder of CLEAR, was on stage and she said less than 2% of all VC money goes to women. Abena: What advice would you give your younger self? Serena Williams, founding and managing partner at Serena Ventures and Alison Rapaport Stillman, founding and managing partner at Serena Ventures. That makes pitching less intimidating, because it can be difficult to find an introduction on Sand Hill Road, especially if youre not in Silicon Valley. Alison graduated magna cum laude from the University of Angel, Fund of Funds, Venture Capital), Number of Investments the Individual has partnered in, Announced Date: Date when the Investment is announced, Organization Name: Name of the organization that received the investment, Investor Name: Name of the investor who participated in the Investment, Lead Investor: This field indicates whether an investor led/organized the investment, Funding Round: Name of the funding round where the Investment is made, Money Raised: Amount of money raised in Funding Round, Total number of current Jobs the person has, Organization Name: This is the name of the organization, Title At Company: Title of a Person's Job, Start Date: Start date of the Person's Job, CB Rank (Hub): Algorithmic rank assigned to the top 100,000 most active Hubs, Total number of events the individual appeared in, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Finance and Operations & Information Management. pos: 'right_rail_3', Looking at the VC industry more broadly, Alison doesnt see a diverse pipeline problem, but a networking issue. As an angel investor, you can only do so much, the world-class athlete, businesswoman, and philanthropist told BLACK ENTERPRISE exclusively. She makes you feel comfortable, as if youre not talking to the greatest athlete of all time. In hindsight, I did not need to worry about the other people who barely thought of me. Serena Ventures was about to announce a historic $111 million raise that would change the world. Partner @Serenaventures. The investment firm led by the tennis star is already an active angel investor with a portfolio of 60 companies that includes SendWave, MasterClass and Daily Harvest. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Serena Ventures, the venture capital fund backed and founded in 2017 by Serena Williams. Owners & Partners are responsible for the overall success of the business. "It's hard. More than half of the firm's portfolio companies were founded by women, and more than three-fourths were founded by people from historically underrepresented backgrounds, according to the firm's website. It has been fun to watch creative people in that setting because Im not a creative person. Onstage at an event, Ms. Seidman-Becker said less than 2 percent of venture money went to women. Take trading cards, something Alison has never cared aboutthat is until alternative assets boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Serena Ventures Serena Williams launched Serena Ventures in 2014 and has invested in over 60 companies. Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport Stillman finds that VCs still ignore products and services made for audiences theyre not familiar with, even those representing massive markets. Insider chatted with Stillman about how to land a spot in the Serena Ventures portfolio. What motivates me is our mission to make lives better and ensure that others in the venture industry and ecosystem see the value in innovation for all by all. Serena Ventures also works with accelerators (including 500 Startups) and diversity-focused funds to source leads and looks at opportunities that originate outside significant startup hubs. More generally, Serena Ventures also works with accelerators (including 500 Startups) and diversity-focused funds to source leads, and looks at opportunities that originate outside major startup hubs. Contact Dan does not have a brother and Alison is his only sibling. He then introduced me to Chris Lyons at Andreessen Horowitzs Cultural Leadership Fund, who encouraged me to lean into my skill set to support world-class athletes who would like to get into venture but dont have the investment background. They are finding new sectors to focus on, such as the rise of online education. She comes to Serena Ventures from Equitable Advisors, where she worked as an Investment Operations Specialist. While both individuals may have similar last names, they are not bonded. The firm, which announced an $111 million fund in March, already included a portfolio of 60 firms from Williams earliest investment activity; she wrote one of the first checks for Masterclass, and was also an early backer of Financial services for what Stillman called the "unbanked and underbanked" and women's health companies have always ranked high on its list. Ive always been fascinated with technology, and Ive always loved how it really shapes our lives, said Ms. Williams, who has been investing for nine years. tude.cmd.push(function() { Previously, Alison worked at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Multi- Asset Solutions and led the development of the firms Alternative Beta offering. William states, Its fun to get in there. But as Serena Ventures is proving, it doesnt have to be this way. Wharton School, with a Bachelor of Science in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Operations & Information Management and a minor in Psychology. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. Serena Ventures Serena Williams launched Serena Ventures in 2014 and has invested in over 60 companies. subcat: '', The ability to write bigger checks and the ability to lead seed rounds really enables us to deliver on our mission and to unlock value for our investors and open doors for founders, Williams says. Its incredible working with founders to help them solve everyday problems as well as find new companies along the way. SERENA VENTURES. Thanks for being part of ours! That is exactly what we are going to talk about in this article. When one thinks of the name Serena Williams, the majority of thoughts flow in the direction of her impeccable tennis career. To raise a child it takes a village. That constant sense of regret for not having taken up golf at a younger age compelled him not to let his kids have the same mistake. Venture is one of the most inequitable places to work. With my little experience in venture, I knew that I had to go in prepared and used all of my resources to get ready. In addition to growing the reach and impact of the SV portfolio, Alison is the person founders turn to when they need pointed advice, detailed feedback, and tough love. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. Since 2014, Serena Ventures has championed founders whose perspectives and innovations level the playing field for women and people of color. As a world-class athlete, businesswoman, philanthropist and mother, Serena Williams knows what it takes to win. To take a closer look at how Serena Ventures developed its diverse portfolio and pipeline, Alison recently joined 500 Startups CEO Christine Tsai for a fireside chat at the 2021 Unity and Inclusion Summit. Those include "business opportunity, founder fit, business model, and mission alignment," she told Insider by email. By highlighting this behaviour and offering support, we are drawing awareness to the systemic issues at hand and showing people in the industry how it can be done. Thanks for being part of ours! Serena Ventures invests in early-stage companies, but Stillman said the firm understood that companies wouldn't always adhere to their original pitches as they grew. Europe, Menlo Park, China), Where the person is located (e.g. Besides, they have a pet dog named Bud, who has also been featured in most of her uploads. Lets just be honest, you know I couldnt just say Oh Im going to do this and have fun with it. The former world no one tennis player and winner of 23 grand slam singles titles, Serena Williams, has her name written in golden words in the history of world tennis. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Alison Rapaport Stillman, General Partner, Serena Ventures (Image: Courtesy of Serena Ventures) For Williams, surrounding herself with other smart women was a no-brainer. Having dabbled in almost everything from marketing to accounting, her intellectual athleticism makes her excited about exploring new sectors and industries. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. cat: 'entrepreneurship', tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { It's your child. "We know that what you're selling us at the pre-seed or seed probably isn't going to look like what the Series B investor sees at some level," she said. WebAlison J. Rapaport, CFA, is a Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. I was someone who lived my life to be on a conveyor belt. Managing partner Serena Williams and general partner Alison Rapaport Stillman have backed about 20 companies with Serena Ventures' first fund. Subscribe to Newsletter Alison Rapaport Stillman is a Founding General Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/business/serena-williams-venture-fund.html. She has persevered to become one of the top tennis players in history with 23 Grand Slam titles. In early August, the 23-time Grand Slam champion wrote in an essay for Vogue that she would be retiring from tennis. Emma posted their first picture online on Valentine's in 2020. Dog mom . 500 Startups makes no representations as to or guarantees of specific outcomes from relying on the contents of this post. aid: '782078', You can also reach out to them oninfo@aysasia.com, Your email address will not be published. In October 2020, the duo enjoyed a family lunch with their parents at a cosy restaurant in LA, California. It is dominated by men who try to solve problems and fund innovation for a nation that is rich in socioeconomic diversity yet neither funders nor founders adequately represent our nation. When he posted an Ask Me Anything during Q&A sessions, one user commented whether he is related to Ian or Michael, to which he replied, "Negative." Serena Ventures is led by world-class athlete, businesswoman, and philanthropist Serena Williams, and Alison Rapaport Stillman, who has previously worked at J.P. Morgan, Wasserman, and Melo7Tech Partners. In addition to growing the reach and impact of the SV portfolio, Alison is the person founders turn to when they need pointed advice, detailed feedback, and tough love. She is a founding partner at Serena Ventures after joining the capital fund company in 2018. When Im serving, I dont serve at 98%. A sample of the funds investments includes the following: Offers body products and shaving supplies at a fair price, without the pink tax. Serena Williams founded Serena Ventures in 2014. That was about four years ago, when Williams hired Alison Rapaport Stillman as general partner and they began building a teamwhich just happens to be all women. While interviewing for jobs, she was the only person who I felt would empower me to succeed. Furthermore, he is also one of the founding members of a top soccer league in the US, Major League Soccer (MLS). I want to highlight that we do not invest in women and people of color to simply check a box, Rapaport Stillman told the online publication All Raise. There is no surprise element that the primary reason why women and entrepreneurs of color struggle to access venture funding is the ignorant nature of VCs. Previously, Alison worked at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Multi- Asset Solutions and led the development of the firms Alternative Beta offering. But it is important to have a founder who can be self-aware, handle feedback, and build a team to help them be successful. They are innovators who understand what goes into building companies. Marc inspired him to pursue a career in golf at the age of 4 as Dan grew up with a sister. and its affiliates (collectively 500 Startups) makes no representation as to the accuracy or information in this post and while reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the information herein is accurate and up-to-date, no liability can be accepted for any error or omissions. They are finding new sectors to focus on, such as the rise of online education. Williams launched Serena Ventures in 2014. aid: '782078', The golf guy at Barstool Sports currently lives a serene life with his fiance Emma in the radiant metropolis of Brooklyn, New York. During this time, I got along really well with Carmelos business manager, Stuart Goldfarb, who saw that I understood how to work with sports talent and also had a deep understanding of the investment world, a rare combination of two very different skills sets. Im the most non-taking-a-chance kind of a person, but I felt like a seed was where we wanted to be.. One meeting led to another and the next thing you know, Im working at Serena Ventures. Dana Iverson: What got you into venture, and what is keeping you here? aid: '782078', Serena Ventures invests in founders who solve everyday problems through unconventional thinking and diverse points of view. For the past nine years, it has managed a portfolio of more than 60 angel investments, using Williams own money. This isnt new for me, she says. The food we eat, the space we live in, and the tools we use at home are all getting a second look. ', Just like on the court, Williams is all about performance: I really wanted to spend time in creating something for that very reason, so when questions are asked its like, not only do we have answers, but we have exits and we have unicorns. On that front, Alison advocates working with organizations like BLCK VC or All Raise. She is currently on a gap-year and works on the Public Policy and Business Development Team at Tesla. The company is their baby! WebDiscover any aliases as well as possible relatives and associates of Alison Rapaport Stillman. Williams was heavily involved in her firms decision-making process well before she announced her retirement. The FDA nears final approval on vaccines for young kids, women feel unprepared for menopause, and Zola adds a co-CEO. At the end of the day, Alison says VCs have a responsibility to change the way they do things and see new ideas and perspectives on markets. Black Men XCEL They had one problem: their brand didnt reflect who they were as a firm- or as people. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. Plenty of its portfolio companies come from Silicon Valley, but two of its most recent investments came from North Carolina and Wisconsin. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. WebAllison Stillman is the director of Aroma Blue, bringing aromatherapy to people in recovery. Dog mom . tag: 'mandc,black-venture-capitalists,newsletter-lead,serena-ventures,serena-williams,vc', Abena: What traits stand out to you in a founding team? tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { And also, its very authentic. I knew that I wanted to do a fund, but I worked backward, by using my own capital and then creating a track record and getting to know everyone.. The latest Tweets from Alison Stillman (@alison_stillman). Partner @Serenaventures. Web2,862 Followers, 1,028 Following, 315 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Ali Jo Rapaport Stillman (@ali_jo_rap_stillman) WebAlison J. Rapaport, CFA, is a Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. A founder should hire a team around themselves and hire for what they are not. There are so many things that keep me in venture. The entire process from pitch to investment can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, Stillman said. My first time pitching was terrible. Thats how we met. Most notably, she helped launch the African Leadership University, named one of Africas most innovative companies in 2016 by Fast Company, and founded Black Women in Venture Capital, a community of over 200 Black women in venture capital who envision an equitable VC system. Prior to joining Serena Ventures, Olivia launched her first startup, SevenSkin Beauty, a skincare company that combines science with technology and education. Her firm, Serena Ventures, is an active angel investor with a portfolio of 60 companies. Last week, amid the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Serena Williams played what were likely the final matches of her tennis career. The same goes for actor Michael Rapaport. With Sheri and Marc's established careers, the Full Swing star enjoyed a secure upbringing and affluent lifestyle during childhood. From an early age, Rapaport began swinging his golf club, and because of this, he has an in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of the sport. Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport Stillman thinks VCs need to get out of their comfort zones. Sitting in a room for six months brainstorming to find a white space with a huge market opportunity is not the way to build a company. Quoting its founder, Serena, I am by no means alone in my mission to build an inclusive venture capital landscape. Her partner Alison Rapaport Stillman backs Serena while stating that VCs ignore products and services made for audiences theyre unfamiliar with, even those representing massive markets with loyal customers. She is a founding partner at Serena Ventures after joining the capital fund company in 2018. Prior to joining Serena Ventures, Ashel spent time on the programming team at Kauffman Fellows and was a startup founder. Managing partner Serena Williams and general partner Alison Rapaport Stillman have backed about 20 companies with Serena Ventures' first fund. Sales Partnership Solutions There is no recent news or activity for this profile. Alison J. Rapaport, CFA, is a Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. env: 'prod', The firm, which announced an $111 million fund in March, already included a portfolio of 60 firms from Williams earliest investment activity; she wrote one of the first checks for Masterclass, and was also an early backer of Noom and Impossible Foods, among others. The former Sports Illustrated writer denied any connection with Ian via a Reddit post in 2018. As the famous story goes, I came over with tacos and a binder of pitches. After graduating from Brentwood school, Alison studied psychology for a while before enrolling at the Wharton School. He supports all aspects of existing deals through analysis, market research, competitive landscapes, financial modeling, and deal structuring. We also want to see a founder who is self-aware. She is the first athlete ever to hit Forbes list of the Worlds Richest Self-Made Women. Stillman said long emails and 10-page business plans, on the other hand, were not welcome. In addition to growing the reach and impact of the SV portfolio, Alison is the person founders turn to when they need pointed advice, detailed feedback, and tough love. When Serena Williams first launched the firm, she explicitly wanted to provide funding for more women. Serena Williamss early-stage venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, has raised an inaugural fund of $111 million that will invest in founders with diverse points of view, she told the DealBook newsletter. ]); Dan posted a congratulations tweet in August 2022 as she represented the company in the New York Stock Exchange. We understand that what we see in the pitch deck is not what the product will look like later, and the product will go through a hundred iterations before it is out in the wild. When I met my husband, that was our first conversation. subcat: '', Prospective investors considering an investment into any 500 Startups fund should not consider or construe this content as fund marketing material. Sadly this is why I wanted to build a track record, because, quite frankly I knew that above other people I needed to have something that could speak for itself, she says. The latest Tweets from Alison Stillman (@alison_stillman). tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { She has been actively investing in a portfolio worth at least $10 million in more than 50 startups through Serena Ventures over the past 6 years. Williams first started investing a little over nine years ago because of what she calls a natural draw to technology and a desire to be involved with all of the startups she was seeing pop up in the space. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Dan does not have a brother and Alison is his only sibling. I think celebrities dont always experience pushback, but I give that, which she respects, and she does it with me., Two years later, that hasnt changed. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. Another important factor is making sure that a founder is coachable. Serena Ventures doesnt require that its founders come from historically underrepresented backgrounds, though it says about three-quarters of its portfolio company founders do.